You're Home
by Door Is Ajar
Summary: (Old) Death the Kid has just been rescued from Noah's grasp, but Liz and Patty have their own emotions on the idea. How will they cope with his return and his attitude on the first night back?


To say they were happy would be an understatement. To say they were joyous would be an understatement. To say they were ecstatic would be an understatement. There were, to put it simply, no words to describe how they felt towards the return of their miester. One however, was known without their knowledge: scared. Frightened. Upset.

Yes, he was safe. He was home. But what if he was hurt? With a broken rib or something and stuck inside that book with it? With no one to help him or nothing to use to help himself? And then what if he had nightmares inside the book? They knew he suffered from them. And then you add the fact he's alone, not knowing when he'll be released or if his captors will injure him again. And then what if they used those nightmares against him, even making him believe he was in one while they beat him or something?

Liz had thought through it all while awaiting his return. She hoped Patty wouldn't come up with such drastic conclusions, maybe that they tickled him. Easily Liz knew Patty wouldn't come up with something so childish, but it was all she could think of.

The night he returned with them, Liz was so desperately wishing to go to sleep in her bed, knowing rest would come easy that night. So, as they walked inside the house, the three silently decide the would rest in the living room for a while. Kid sat on the large couch near the back wall while Patty and Liz decided to squish themselves on either side of him. There were two couches capable of fitting two people a piece on either side, all three facing a center, but none chose to sit in them.

Liz stood up after not long at all, declaring she would get them a drink.

"Patty what do you want?" she asked while turning around to face her sister.

"Whatever Kid wants!" Patty replied. Liz sighed but not in depression. It was actually a "I knew it" kind of thing with a small smirk on her face.

"Kid what do you want to drink?" Liz asked, patiently waiting as she headed towards the door and expected a response as she walked. When none came, she heard Patty begin to giggle.

"What's so funny, Patty?" She even turned herself back around to stare at the two with one brow cocked down in confusion.

"Kid fell asleep, sis!" the younger one announced. The giggling, Liz assumed as she stepped back towards the two, was due to the fact his head was resting on her shoulder, breath coming out of his mouth like she was used to seeing from him.

She didn't hide smiling, but almost felt like it didn't belong. He was only sleeping because he was tired. If sitting down on a couch, not even laying, allowed him to fall asleep within minutes, he was sleep deprived. She could see the bags under his eyes. How heavy and dark they were. The light overhead was more than enough to show the great contrast of skin color.

Liz bent down slightly, resting the back of her hand on his head, and the whole time wishing she didn't as she felt the too-hot skin underneath. Kid lit up with life, shooting his eyes open and flinching while lifting his entire body into a straight position. He looked like a deer ready for death in the way of an eighteen wheeler, expecting something terrible to happen.

It even shocked her but not giving her enough time to say anything before he spoke. "S-Sorry, Liz." He eyes returned to the half-lidded state like usual as he sighed, releasing a breath he had been holding.

She just KNEW something wouldn't be right once Kid was back... There would just HAVE to be something wrong. Tonight would not be fun.

First thing off the bat, she figured getting mad would help none what-so-ever. Even if she could get mad, that is. "It's alright, Kid. But why don't we go to bed? Come on. You, too, Patty," Liz replied. Her question didn't sound like she was babying him, almost just suggesting they should do such.

"Kaaaay~!" Patty quickly agreed as she flung her right arm in the air with her pointer finger sticking out of her balled-up fist.

Liz instantly decided sleep would come first. Then a bath and such for all of them. They could wait. Although she knew he would be sleeping in pretty late, but in the same sense wished he wouldn't be.

She had stood up, figuring she should get the bed ready. It was obvious none of them would be able to sleep alone; if Patty figured she needed to share a bed while Kid was trapped, her opinion would only be strengthened by the fact he returned. Liz herd Patty's giggling, and turned around, this time with a depressed sigh she unconsciously attempted to hide.

Kid was asleep already... However... She couldn't help one bit how great she felt at the situation. He was actually hugging Patty while resting his head into her arm below her shoulder. Even a smirk she tried to hide, but a full smile worked it's way onto Liz's face. He felt safe enough with them. That was all that mattered right now.

But then why did he flinch and wake up so scared-like? The only answer she could pick out was how sudden she made it. And the fact SHE made it, not him. And didn't she feel his forehead like he was a criminal, trying not to get shot by that criminal? Then such a delicate, swift movement would seem frightening.

"Patty, would you just help me carry him upstairs?" Liz questioned. She expected a loud answer, but received only a slight nod and smile as an answer to her request.

Liz slithered her arm though his own, minding how careful she was more accurately after gaining a soft moan in pain he struggled to hide. Patty simply placed her right arm across his back, considering he was holding onto her himself. As slowly and cautiously as they could the pair lifted themselves and the dead beat off the couch.

It seemed forever until the trio made it up the stairs and into Kid's room, Liz silently rejoicing they left the door open. She looked towards Patty, gaining her attention, before removing herself from Kid, quickly making her way to the bed and folding back the covers for the three to fall into.

Patty took it upon herself to steadily guide the now half awake, half asleep Kid to the bed. From Liz's point of view, it seemed he didn't believe the occurring events were real, only a dream he wished was real. Liz had to grab his legs as the two hoisted him into the center. They heard the great sigh escape his open mouth in content as he curled a black pillow that he now held possession of into his stomach, snuggling his face deep into the soft, feather-like material.

The younger laughed quietly to herself while she climbed onto his left side, near his back, as Liz took the right, facing his stomach currently occupied by the pillow. The strange forth pillow on his bed came into use, all having one and Kid having a second to cuddle with. Liz strongly wanted a picture or something. That would embarrass him later for sure.

But he was only seeking the comfort he was deprived of for so long. And if a pillow would provide that, she didn't mind one bit. At that positive note, she reached for the covers, pulling them above each of their bodies. The steady beat of Kid's breath hitting the pillow because of his head buried deep into the material comfortably lulled her to sleep, not even realizing Patty was out even before she covered the three.

At first, when she woke up to the darkness that confirmed it was night, she had no earthly idea WHY she woke up. Then she heard Patty talking. What was she saying? Something about Kid? And then there was a shaking from Patty that her arm got as another from to awaken her. But what was she saying again?

"Sis! Sis, wake up!" The pleading got through to her as she quickly snapped to reality, bringing herself to a sitting position. "Sis, help Kid! Sis, come on, help him!" She wasn't even looking at Liz anymore as she watched Kid, which is what caused Liz to look at their miester, also.

His grip on the pillow would have meant death if he had a hold of someone's neck for sure. Kid's fingers were shaking against the strong hold, his body placed farther then where he was originally. Why had Patty awoken her? There wasn't much going on with him for this much seriousness. Then it hit her without any restraint: a loud groan of pain with what was crying strangled itself from Kid, his head no longer into the pillow.

Another followed soon after, Kid also forming his arms to hug the pillow with as much force as possible. Liz leaned slightly closer as she began to shake his left arm, the one on top of his body at this time as he still faced her.

"Hey, K-Kid. Kid, wake up. C-Come on, Kid, wake up," she mumbled out. It seemed even she didn't want to believe what was happening. She gave a slightly harder shake and he clutched the pillow harder, if that was possible, digging his head into it now.

Her emotions took the better of her, making her feel the worry consume her. She attempted to fight it off just long enough to wake him up, to make sure he was fine. But is simply WAS NOT WORKING. She shook harder, feeling herself shake in fear. "Kid! Kid, wake up!" Now she was screaming, her voice unsteady the whole while.

Kid shot up like a bullet after Liz unconsciously shook his arm even harder with both of her hands. He panted like a dehydrated dog, his bangs stuck to his forehead in sweat, and his eyes darted back and forth to and fro anywhere in the room. Liz watched closely, and hoped Patty wouldn't be as observant.

The wheels in his mind were slowly turning, piecing together the fact he was not with Noah anymore, not in that forsaken book. He was at home with his weapons, clutching the pillow with his right hand and the sheets with his left for dear life. When had all three kicked the sheets off themselves anyway...? It amazed Liz how easily she didn't notice such; how else would she of seen the pillow, if it was under the covers?

He unsuccessfully tried to steady his breathing, taking in gasps of air and even seeming to swallow it, like that would help intake more. His nightmares didn't cause whimpers, only comments on how terrible a person he was or what he did wrong. Putting the, hopefully, finally pieces together, Liz figured he was masking his pain. He had no control over such while asleep, so it wriggled out itself, creating the confirmation he was, in fact, in need of medical help, however they could help.

"K-Kid." Dang. It surprised her just how much she hadn't calmed. "Are you alright?" she hesitantly reached out, placing her hand onto his shoulder in comfort, like he could confide in her.

She didn't receive a reply and steadily become engulfed again by worry. She watched his eyes, still darting around the room as if he didn't believe this was true. He figured this wondrous dream of being home with his weapons would come tumbling down if he made an incorrect movement. And that was all she had to work with.

"Kid... You're home, you know... Are you okay?" His eyes instantly darted to her own, nearly causing her to choke on nothing. His eyes were not hollow, no. They were beyond words full of fright, wide and uncertain. His gasping had stopped, but his deep breathing continued through his mouth, like no amount of air could fill his lungs no matter how desperately he tried.

"Are... Is this real, Liz? Is-Is this not another dream?" Another? Did he have dreams like these while stored away? Liz figured it would be both satisfying and depressing to have these, however. To wake up or be woken up while dreaming of one, only to face Noah's devil face or Gopher, or whoever. And then it was slightly comforting to believe he knew the difference between reality and not while he was stored away. But now that he was home, the full power of keeping the line separate was erased, actually causing the two realms to splurge into one and create h(word-place).

"Yes, this is real. Y-You're really home," she comforted. It took a second to sink in, but once it did, tears began to slowly leek from his eyes, creating lines flowing down and dripping off his chin. His face formed no expression you would associate from bawling except for the actual water-works.

Patty had been sitting at the bottom of the bed the entire time, mouth closed tight in her own understanding of importance. Liz was staring at him, awe shown through an ajar mouth and desperately clawing at anything to help a new statement form. Before she could make much of an attempt, Kid had thrown his arms around her neck, sitting on his knees as he almost silently cried into her shoulder, so needing comfort. Anything would do, but now the pillow would not help.

She wasn't used to this. Patty never needed comfort; she was too carefree to be sad anytime of the day! So did Kid really, truly believe Liz would somehow comfort him? Maybe all he needed was a HUMAN to be with. The fact they were practically family made the thought even more realistic.

"It... It's okay, Kid... Just... calm down. It's fine." She was more than just hesitant, to say the least. It seemed to be more comforting the more she spoke, however. Her body had frozen over like a pool of water quickly met by the winter, not expecting to be unmovable. It took her a second, but Liz eventually placed her arms around him in return, giving back the hug he granted her. He dug his head further down, and Liz felt near the top of his head digging into her shoulder. No, it didn't feel nice to her skin, but he NEEDED something, and she was giving this to him.

But... now what was she to do? Wait until he fell asleep? That could take forever! Or it could take five seconds...

Oh, wait! She knew! The only reason Patty woke her up is because Kid woke Patty up himself with his cries of pain. So that's what she should do! He needed some kind of assistance, and right now that was her first priority.

"Kid. Kid, are you listening to me?" You could imagine a teacher yelling at a student they believe would be staring blankly at a wall just to not listen. But her tone was not one of such; instead it seriously sounded like a considerate, caring question.

She heard him sniffle and for the first time realized his crying had ceased. His breathing had even slowed. And then she felt the slightest increase of pressure around where he was hugging her. Even though under normal circumstances she would have yelled at him, she couldn't even bring herself to slightly raise her voice. Patty had awoken her so scared-like, and she had questioned him multiple times! Only for him to fall asleep with no help from the two of them! But... he did question if what he was seeing was real. Had her simple confirmation helped him at all?

Yes, it had to. Liz decided it did, or else he wouldn't of felt comfortable enough to jump into her arms and them fall into slumber. She still needed to tend to whatever wounds were paining him, though.

"Patty?" the younger girl removed her eyes from Kid hesitantly, her head moving before her eyes actually did. Liz didn't want to see her sister with a straight face, but in any time, she assumed this would be the best. "Can you get the first aid kit?"


End file.
